Youth champions from Asia-Pacific make waves at COP28

Nathaniel Diong is the CEO of Future Minds Network, where he helps disadvantaged youth secure their dream jobs or create their own employment; including founding 3D-printing businesses, mobile apps, and national charities. Diong works with the government to run employment programs, and design lived experience models that legitimise youth participation in solutions-building and decision-making. He works with school and universities to deliver entrepreneurial and life skills training and advises corporations on how to attract diverse talent and establish youth investment boards.​

Jannatul Mouwa is a youth climate activist born in Satkhira, one of the most climate vulnerable districts in Bangladesh. She started the movement, Sunday for women’s Climate Justice in 2019, and founded a youth Feminist Organization named BINDU Women’s Development Organization. She plants trees every year to support the ecosystem and encourages youth groups to do the same. Currently working on gender-friendly disaster response in her community, Mouwa has encouraged others to join in the fight towards gender equality.​

Rijve Arefin is a multi-award-winning community development practitioner and a dedicated youth activist. He has been named a Forbes 30 Under 30 and highlighted as the Featured Honoree for Social Impact. He also received The Diana Award - the most prestigious accolade a young person can receive for their humanitarian work, continuing Princess Diana’s legacy. Arefin is the co-founder and co-chair of the global youth organization, Awareness 360, which has directly benefited more than 1.1 million individuals worldwide under his leadership.

Nala Amirah is a 17-year-old Indonesian youth climate activist who aspires to create meaningful and prosperous change in the climate movement and food systems. She also champions climate education and women empowerment within her climate work and has founded Green Welfare Indonesia; Indonesia’s first youth led non-profit organization that primarily strives for environmental and social sustainability through advocating against unethical livestock farming and unsustainable agriculture with plant-based approaches.

Ayesha Amin is the Founder of ‘Baithak - Challenging Taboos’ - a non-profit organization that works for women’s access to their sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in Pakistan. She has 10 years of experience in leading social impact initiatives especially in the fields of women’s empowerment and gender justice. Ayesha has educated over 2400 girls and women in menstrual hygiene management. Her most recent project is called ‘Gul’, an AI powered voice chatbot to educate young people about SRHR in local languages using WhatsApp.

Louise Mabulo is a chef, farmer, and entrepreneur. She is the Founder of The Cacao Project, which cultivates resilient and climate-smart livelihoods, positioning farmers for sustainable success in San Fernando, Camarines Sur, Philippines. Mabulo is a National Geographic Young Explorer, Young Champion of the Earth under UNEP, Forbes Asia’s ‘30 Under 30’ honouree, Young Activist Summit Laureate, and a member of Tatler’s ‘Generation T’. She has hosted the online series, ‘#GenGeo Conversations’ and hosted the online cooking show ‘Simply Sarap’ under the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs.

Hafsah Muheed is an intersectional feminist, human rights advocate and sustainability practitioner with grassroots experience on gender, wellbeing, climate change, peacebuilding and human rights. She serves as the Vice Curator of the Global Shapers Hub Colombo 2022/23 at the World Economic Forum. Hafsah founded Amplifying Impact, a feminist organization that focuses on being inclusive by being accessible. She was recognized as a Women Deliver Young Leader and represented Sri Lanka at YOUNGA 2020.